HMIG is a comprehensive hazard communication programme.

HMIG communicates hazard information to the use of colour, numbers, letter of alphabets and symbols. In this system health (blue), flammability (red) and reactivity (yellow) are coded with colour and numbers, whereas personal protective equipment (white) is with letter of alphabet and symbols.

The national fire protection association ('NFPA'- USA) has developed 'Fire Diamond' in which white section indicates fire protection. The national paints and coating association (NPCA-USA) has developed HMIS in which white section indicates personal protective equipment. All other sections like health (blue), flammability (red) and reactivity (yellow) remain same in both the systems. Laboratory chemicals are usually operated with limited quantities in small packing, which has a limited risk of fire and hence preference is given to protective equipment in HMIG in our labels.

Types of hazards.The HMIG is sub-divided into four general categories,

• health (blue)
• flammability (red)
• reactivity (yellow)
• protective equipment (white)

you can find hazard ratings for common laboratory chemicals in our labels and MSDSs. For each calss of materials here are some handy guidelines and examples to help you assign or understand a hazard rating.

Every employer has an overall responsibility to provide their employees with a safe and healthful workplace. Hazard communication is an important part of this responsibility.

Hazard Communication Standard : (HCS)

According to "The Occupational Safety and Health Administration" (OHSA) millions of workers are potentially exposed to one or more chemical hazards. There are an estimated 5,75,000 existing chemical products and hundred of new ones introduced annually. This poses a potential problem for exposed workers and their employers.

Chemical exposure cause or contribute to many serious health effects including such "acute" or immediate effects as difficulty in breathing, respiratory failure, rashes or burns to the skin and eyes, headaches and dizziness. Repeated over exposure to certain chemicals can leave to other "chronic" effects such as heart ailments, kidney and lung damage, sterility and cancer. Some chemicals may also be safety hazards and have the potential to cause fire and explosions or other serious accidents.

The HCS establishes uniform requirements to make sure that the hazards of all chemicals as work places are evaluated and that this hazard information is given to employers and employees. Chemical manufacturers convey the hazard information they learn from the evaluations to downstream employees by means of labels on containers and MSDSs.

The hazard communication programme ensures that all employers receive the information they need to inform and train their employees properly and to design and put in place employee protection programmes. It also provides necessary hazard information to employees, so they can participate in, an support, the protective measures in place at their workplaces.

In our view of awareness "downstream flow of information", which means that producers of chemicals have primary responsibility for generating and disseminating information and that users of chemicals must obtain the information and transmit it to their own employees. In general, it works like this

• Chemical Manufacturer Determine the hazards of each product
• Chemical Manufacturers / Distributors Communicate the hazard information and associated protective measures downstream to customers thorugh labels and MSDSs.
• Employers Identify and list hazardous chemicals in their workplaces. Obtain MSDSs and labels for each hazardous chemical. Develop and implement a written hazard communication programme, including labels, MSDSs, and employee training on the list of Chemicals, MSDSs, and label information.

Communicate hazard information to their employees through labels, MSDSs, and formal training programme. HMIG is designed to help employers inform employees and comply with the HCS

The hazard communication portion of the HMIG program communicates information on :

Chemical identity
Chronic and acute health hazards
Degree of flammability
Reactivity hazards, and
Proper personal protective equipment.

Chemical identity id conveyed by chemical or common names, code numbers or other descriptive terms which clearly identify the material for hazard evaluation purposes. The severity of any acute health, flammability and reactivity hazards is communicated by numerical ratings.

Personal protective equipment is designated by an alphabetical designation, with items identified either as groups of complementary equipment or as individual pieces of safety wear.